Why Silicon Valley Cares So Much about Who Will Lead the Library of Congress

Lewontin, Max, The Christian Science Monitor

In 2012, the Library of Congress issued an unusual decision,
ruling that cellphone unlocking - the process of moving a phone over
to a different carrier instead of remaining on a fixed contract -
would now be a violation of US copyright law.

The storied institution isn't usually noted for its technology
policy, instead primarily focusing on the nation's cultural history
and on serving members of Congress. But the ruling, granted by the
library's broad oversight over copyright under the 1998 Digital
Millennium Copyright Act, rankled many cellphone users, prompting a
sharp rebuke from some members of Congress and the Obama
administration, which eventually reversed the decision two years
later.

It also brought wider public attention to a debate that has
quietly simmered for years over the Library's attitude toward
technology, shaped by its longest-serving Librarian, respected
Russian historian James Billington, who has become infamous for his
use of faxes to communicate with library staff.

Separately, a wide-ranging group of librarians, technology
companies, and policymakers have also raised questions about the
library's stewardship of the US Copyright Office - which currently
stores most of its valuable records in rows of paper volumes.

With the sometimes-prickly Mr. Billington resigning from his post
unexpectedly on Wednesday after previously saying he would leave the
position he had held for 28 years in January, advocates for a more
modern library and a Copyright Office that embraces changes in how
people consume culture are wondering if this could be the beginning
of a new era.

"We're very excited," says Emily Sheketoff, director of the
American Library Association's Washington office. "This is a great
opportunity for the Library to step up and serve the people." She
says the Library could play more of a global role as a leader for
libraries outside the United States.

"The way Washington works now, and the way the world works, you
need those collaborative skills and those management skills," adds
Ms. Sheketoff, who came to the country's largest library
organization after working in the White House and serving as Deputy
Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Occupational Safety and Health
Administration.

She describes the library's 3,200-person staff as "demoralized,"
noting that the pressure to keep up with changing technological
developments while managing a collection that holds more than 160
million items and having oversight over the complex world of
copyright law can often be overwhelming.

The debate over the Library's relationship with technology has
long been viewed as fraught. In the 1990s, the Library was seen as
an early adopter of the Internet, bringing troves of Congressional
records online in 1995 with the service Thomas.gov.

But since then, questions about the library's own technological
struggles - including reports that it did not know how many
computers it owned, lacked a dedicated person in charge of
technology and did not have full control over the Copyright Office
it was tasked with overseeing - have fueled questions about
Billington's leadership. Unlike almost every high-level government
position except the Supreme Court, the Librarian of Congress is a
lifetime appointment, leading some critics to suggest that
Billington, who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, has
possibly overstayed his welcome.

"It used to be the king of all libraries," Suzanne Thorin, dean
emerita of Syracuse University and Billington's former chief of
staff, told the Washington Post in March, following the release of
two scathing reports by the Government Accountability Office
pointing to the library's lack of management over its own IT
infrastructure. "Maybe it's benign neglect, but I don't see it at
the center anymore."

The Library did not respond to a request for comment from the
Monitor. But in March, Billington told the Post that he intended to
remain at the helm, saying the library was still in a key position
compared to other libraries around the world. …

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